Visiting Chairman James CY Soong of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan said Thursday that the biggest achievement of his mainland trip was his talks with general secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Soong made the remarks when meeting the press of the Chinese mainland that he and Hu had a "thorough" and "face-to-face" discussion and reached consensus on many issues.

The two sides agreed to such a keynote that "people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of one family and we all are descendants of the Chinese nation" and "we must unswervingly stick to the one China principle and hold firmly to the stance of opposing 'Taiwan independence'," he said.

"Only by sticking to this stance can we promote communication and reconciliation between the two sides of the Straits," he said.

He said he was "inspired" because he and general secretary Hu had reached consensus on several issues, including taking gradual steps to realize "comprehensive and direct two-way air service" between Taiwan and the mainland in 2006.

Besides, they had discussed such issues as cross-Straits free trade zone and protection of legitimate rights of Taiwan business people.

Soong said that thanks to the "resolution" and "determination" of general secretary Hu, chairman Lien Chan of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party of China and himself were able to visit the mainland.

"The world has seen from our historic visits that the people on both sides of the Straits have the wisdom and capability to manage well our own business."

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2005)